beta 2-agonists are mainstay of COPD and asthma therapy, but whether beta 2-agonists directly affect airway epithelial host defense functions is unclear.\n\nMethods: Epithelial cells from bronchial brushings of normal (n = 8), asthma (n = and COPD (n = subjects were grown in air-liquid interface cultures, and treated with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and/or BKM120 concentration Th2 cytokine IL-13, followed by Mp infection and treatment with beta 2-agonists albuterol and

formoterol for up to seven days. Mp and host defense proteins short palate, lung, and nasal epithelial clone 1 (SPLUNC1) and beta-defensin-2 were quantified. Expression of beta 2-adrenergic receptors was also measured by real-time quantitative RT-PCR.\n\nResults: (R)- or racemic albuterol and (R,R)- or racemic formoterol significantly decreased Mp levels in normal and asthma epithelial cells. Normal cells treated with Mp and (R)- or racemic albuterol showed

an increase in SPLUNC1, but not in beta-defensin-2. Selleck Eltanexor COPD cells did not respond to drug treatment with a significant decrease in Mp or an increase in SPLUNC1. IL-13 attenuated drug effects on Mp, and markedly decreased SPLUNC1 and beta 2-adrenergic receptors.\n\nConclusions: These results for the first time show that beta 2-agonists enhance host defense functions of primary bronchial epithelial cells from normal and asthma subjects, NU7441 purchase which is attenuated by IL-13.”
“The gynoecium in M. denudata was thermogenic, and the first peak in the female phase lasted longer than the second peak in the male phase during flowering.\n\nThe floral biology of Magnolia denudata, including the thermogenesis of floral buds and blooming, were investigated using a portable infrared thermal imaging radiometer and digital infrared thermometer. We found that M. denudata buds have extremely dense trichomes that maintain internal temperatures above external temperatures. The pattern of thermogenesis in M. denudata anthesis consisted

of two distinct episodes corresponding to apparent receptivity of the stigmas in the female phase and incipient shedding of pollen in the male phase: one begins in the female phase and lasts about 6 h and another occurs synchronously 24 h later and lasts about 4 h in the male phase. In addition, we found that the temperature was significantly elevated in the inner petals upon flowering, indicating that they may play an important role in producing a warm floral chamber. These results increase our understanding of the strategies used by Magnoliaceae blossoms to maintain an optimal microclimate at low temperatures in the early spring.”
“Researchers use ultrasound (US) to modulate diffusive light in a highly scattering medium like tissue. This paper analyzes the US-optical interaction in the scattering medium and derives an expression for the US-modulated optical radiance.